THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. Thank you for being here. I am
honored and pleased to congratulate John Negroponte on becoming
America's first Director of National Intelligence. I also congratulate
General Mike Hayden on becoming on our nation's first Principal Deputy
Director of National Intelligence.

I want to thank Secretary of State Condi Rice and Secretary of
Defense Don Rumsfeld for joining us today. I appreciate Porter Goss,
head of the Central Intelligence Agency, for joining us; Robert
Mueller, Director of the FBI. I appreciate Senator Ted Stevens, Senate
President Pro-Tem joining us today, along with Senator Jay
Rockefeller. Thank you both for being here.

I want to thank Congressman Peter Hoekstra, Chairman of the House
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, along with Congresswoman
Jane Harman, ranking member. Thank you both for coming. I appreciate
Chuck Robb, Co-Chairman of the WMD Commission, for joining us today. I
want to thank members of the intelligence community who have joined
us. I thank the rest of you for coming, too. (Laughter.)

Ambassador Negroponte's position is one of the newest in the
government, and one of the most demanding. Our nation is at war, and
John is making sure that those whose duty it is to defend America have
the information we need to make the right decisions. He's ensuring that
our intelligence agencies work as a single, unified enterprise. And
he's serving as my principal intelligence advisor. These are vital and
urgent responsibilities, and John has what it takes to fulfill them
all.

In his distinguished career, John has represented America in eight
nations on three continents. He's served every President since Dwight
Eisenhower. Over the past four years, I've come to know John's wisdom,
intellect and integrity. I've relied on his candid judgment to help
solve complicated problems. I have witnessed his unique ability to
bring people together, most recently in his historic achievements as
ambassador to a free Iraq. I'm grateful to John for answering his
nation's call. I thank his family for joining us today.

John is fortunate to count on an experienced and capable deputy in
General Mike Hayden. General Hayden understands the intelligence
community from the ground up. He has a long record of wise and
effective reform. Mike also has a clear understanding of our enemies
in the war on terror. He'll be a superb deputy to Ambassador
Negroponte. I thank Mike for his willingness to serve, and I'm glad to
see his family, as well.

As John Negroponte and Mike Hayden carry out their new duties,
they're relying on the thousands of dedicated professionals working in
our intelligence community. These men and women serve America with a
wide variety of talents and expertise. They all report to work
everyday with the same goal: to protect our fellow citizens from harm.
Intelligence officers work in secret, and often at great risk to their
lives. Their vigilance and bravery are vital to America's security.
And on behalf of all Americans, I thank them and their families for
their service in the cause of freedom.

As Director of National Intelligence, John is taking action to help
all who serve in the intelligence community to do their jobs more
effectively. He has assembled a strong leadership team that reflects a
wide range of skills and intelligence experience. He's visited a number
of intelligence agencies, he's listened to experts in a variety of
fields and he's made reforms in the daily intelligence briefing. John
recognizes and values the contributions of all who collect and analyze
intelligence. He will ensure that they have access to the tools and
information their missions demand.

In the days ahead, Ambassador Negroponte and General Hayden will
continue the structural reforms of our intelligence community that
began after September the 11th, 2001. We've now implemented the vast
majority of the 9/11 Commission's recommendations through executive
orders, and the intelligence reform bill I signed last December.

My administration is also reviewing all the recommendations made by
the Silberman-Robb Commission on weapons of mass destruction. We have
already begun to implement a number of their recommendations. We will
continue to evaluate and act on the commission's useful blueprint to
improve the quality and quantity of intelligence we collect, and to be
able to analyze that information more thoroughly.

John Negroponte will also ensure the sharing of information among
agencies and establish common standards for the intelligence
community's personnel. I have confidence in John Negroponte and Mike
Hayden to carry out these vital missions. Well-integrated, effective
intelligence efforts are America's first line of defense against the
threats of the 21st century.

I thank the Congress for creating the Director of National
Intelligence position and for swiftly confirming two talented,
dedicated Americans to lead our intelligence community. I look forward
to working with this team to improve our intelligence capabilities, and
to use those capabilities to win the war on terror.

Congratulations to both men. May God bless you and your families,
and may God continue to bless our country. (Applause.)

DIRECTOR NEGROPONTE: Thank you, Mr. President; members of the
Cabinet who are here today, members of the Congress, to my own family,
dear friends and colleagues -- especially my new colleagues in the
intelligence community.

I've always felt that the greatest honor that could be bestowed on
me by my country is the opportunity to serve it. I felt this way as a
junior Foreign Service officer; I feel this way today as the Director
of National Intelligence. I can truthfully say that I've never really
wanted to do anything else -- whether I was stationed in Vietnam, in
Greece, in Iraq, in Mexico or here in Washington. Why? Because the
United States represents freedom, the United States represents peace,
and the United States represents opportunity. What greater privilege
could any American enjoy than to pursue a career representing a great
nation based on values such as these.

As parents, Diana and I want our five children to have as much
freedom, peace and opportunity as we, ourselves, have had. We know
every other American parent feels the same way. So I view the position
of Director of National Intelligence as a challenge, yes, but I'm
grateful to you, Mr. President, for asking me to accept it. In so
doing, I am reassured by the fact that I will be supported by tens of
thousands of patriotic professionals in the intelligence community who
have dedicated their lives, often at great personal risk, to the
defense of our country and all that it stands for.

I want to thank each and every one of you for being here today.
Thank you very much. (Applause.)